Wounds
by lynne z
Summary: Goren and Eames struggle to find solid ground in the aftermath of his mother's death and a new case involving an old investigation reunites Eames with a man from her past. Casefile with GE ship.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: No own; no profit; no sue.**

**A/N: And now for something completely different…**

**Initially I was going to incorporate this idea into my Madison stories, but it seemed to work better in a completely different verse. This picks up three months after the end of season six…I guess you could say it's my pitch for what I would do in season seven only with a GE ship, of course. I'm keeping the rating high just because of possible (how do they say on TV) **_**sensitive**_** subject matter. And there will be angst…oh yes…there will be angst. Please let me know what you think.**

Chapter 1

She liked waking up beside him; liked being overwhelmed with his scent and the subtle pressure of his fingers messaging her scalp. She hadn't felt this vulnerable with anyone since her husband, though she wasn't particularly ready to admit that to him and he still had too much he was dealing with to be able to focus on a real relationship.

For the last three months, she had been spending most nights at his apartment, which she was quietly happy for, since she still was not completely comfortable in her house, but she wasn't about to admit that either.

Their relationship stumbled into intimacy a couple weeks after his mother's funeral. She, and no one else for that matter, had been able to get a hold of him since he had left the cemetery and after a frantic call from his friend Lewis, she went to his apartment to check on him.

She didn't exactly plan on beginning an undefined relationship with her troubled partner that night, but it was oddly natural; maybe inevitable.

It happened while she stood in front of him in his kitchen. He was worn and seemed so far away. She was telling him to call if he needed anything and was reluctantly beginning to leave when he impulsively took her face in his palms and kissed her.

The kiss was soft, tentative, but held within it all the fear and sadness they both had been carrying over the past year.

"I'm sorry," Goren said as he pulled away from her. "I…I shouldn't have done that."

They both knew he was right and that he was too emotionally raw to completely be in control of what he was doing or thinking.

"Bobby," she placed a hand on his shoulder, urging him to turn back around. "Please look at me."

Eames didn't know why she did this. She could have walked out his door and once he came back to work they both would have agreed to have forgotten it, but it was too wide a crack in a door she couldn't fight wanting to open.

"Thanks for…coming to the funeral," he said turning back to her. "But…you…you really should leave."

"I know" she said, but stepped closer to him.

She pulled him back down to her and into a more demanding kiss. He couldn't fight clamping his hands to her waist and pulling her against him.

She didn't leave his apartment until the next night.

Over the first few weeks he opened up about his mom and gave up little details from his childhood, like the few lucid moments he could remember sharing with his mom, but then being woken up in the middle of night to hide in a musty closet so _they_ wouldn't find him. There was tension in his voice when he talked about his father that Eames couldn't place, but she knew better than to push him.

He softly coaxed her into talking about the Gages and she got through most of it with only a slight mental flinch. She gave insights on her surrogacy and her life with Joe, but only after subtle tactics on his part to pull information from her. He reluctantly admitted to wanting to know more about both events for a long time, but hadn't felt it was his place.

Many of the things they talked about late at night were things they had already glossed over as partners, but now these events that made them had emotion and depth.

There was so much they had done and said to each other over the nine months before his mother's death and both wanted a clean slate to pursue whatever it was that they were becoming.

He did, however, refuse to talk about what happened between him and Brady, and what his mother later revealed to him that night.

"Just…please," he had said softly to her one night as they lay tangled together. "I'm not ready to talk about that."

It continued to gnaw at the back of her mind, but she let it go because there were still things that she wasn't ready to reveal to him either.

She forced him into taking better care of himself and was still in the middle of a losing battle in getting him to sleep more. He was always awake before her and she quickly discovered he liked to watch her sleep, which seemed to be enough to at least get him to stay in bed and doze until she woke up.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Just a few minutes," Goren said.

"Is that a few minutes in real time or a few minutes in Goren time?"

"Believe it or not real time," he said with a quiet chuckle. "You can go back to sleep…we don't have to be up for another hour."

She leaned up and fitted her mouth to his.

"Or we could do…other things," Goren mumbled against her lips.

She smiled as he rolled them over and his hand ventured down to settle on her hip, drawing small circles with his thumb. Her hands linked around his neck and felt short hairs graze between her fingers.

His mouth sought out her neck and she arched, granting him access as she reveled in the warmth of his lips and tongue. It didn't take her long in their relationship to discover the many other talents that mouth had beyond charm and manipulation; not to mention, how erotic one's last name could sound from said mouth when spoken in the right context.

He began to travel further, finding her collar bone, and then a cell phone started to ring.

Goren grunted his frustration and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"Whose is it?" he asked.

"I don't care."

He softly kissed her lips. "Yes you do."

"It sounds like yours."

Goren rolled over toward the nightstand and fished for his phone.

"It's Ross."

"Sounds like the right mood killer," Eames muttered.

"Goren…uh…yeah, yeah we did." He sat up more fully, his interest peaked and intriguing Eames. "When? Yeah…okay…n-no, I can call her. Okay."

He snapped the phone shut and stared off for a moment, while she sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh…M-Maggie Colter's missing."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews. Spoilers for "Homo Homini Lupus" from season one throughout the rest of the story. This is one of my favorite episodes and I've often wondered how or even if the Colter family was able to pick up the pieces afterward. **

Chapter 2

Both were well aware of the discretion they needed to maintain while at work. While there were no specific rules saying they couldn't have a personal relationship, it wasn't exactly praised either, and Goren didn't need anymore reasons to butt-heads with Ross.

Most days he would leave the apartment first, while she was still getting ready, so as to not raise any suspicions, but today they were both too shaken with the memories of the Colter case to worry about keeping up appearances.

They stood side by side in the slow elevator, remembering their first meeting with Maggie Colter, a fifteen year old girl curled around her teddy bear, shutting herself down. The second they saw that glassy, far away look in her eyes, they knew what had happened to her, and it only fueled their determination.

Eames still got chills at the memory of watching Goren coax her into talking; into seeing the truth of what was done to her and owning it. At first, she thought he was crossing a line with the way he talked to her, but like many times early in their partnership she finally saw what he was doing. He managed to comfort her without treating her like a victim; it's what Maggie needed and it's how Eames would have wanted to be treated if it had been her.

The last time they saw her was at Simon Mattish's trial and they both thought, or at least hoped that she would make it.

Eames led the way onto the eleventh floor and abruptly stopped as she saw a familiar figure standing with the captain in his office. He was a little shorter than Goren, with similar coloring, but had blue eyes and a sharper nose.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Goren asked.

"The guy with the captain," she said as she resumed her stride. "That's Greg Harris. He was my partner when I first got to major case…he moved to the FBI a few months before you and I were partnered."

Goren nodded mutely as they finished the distance to the captains office and took note of her tensed shoulders.

Captain Ross leaned back in his chair and Agent Harris stood a little straighter as he raked his eyes over Eames.

"Alex," Harris said, with an approving smile.

"Greg," Eames nodded.

Doing the math in his head, Goren figured they had only been partners for about eight months, but the look between the two carried a much heavier history.

"I know you already know Detective Eames," Ross said. "This is her partner Detective Goren…this is Agent Harris."

Goren shook Harris's hand firmly.

"I'm a little confused," Goren said. "This is about Maggie Colter, right?"

"Yes," Harris said. "I was called by Rick Raines—"

"The defense attorney?" Eames asked.

Harris nodded. "He's Maggie's step-father."

Goren stole a glance at Eames and saw his own disappointment mirrored in her features.

"How…how long has she been missing?" Goren asked.

"Nearly thirty-six hours now…there hasn't been any trace of her and no one has called asking for ransom. When I heard you were the detective on the original case I thought you should be involved in this investigation," Harris said, gesturing toward Eames. "We already checked on Simon Mattish…he's still in Rikers, but we're trying to find any of his associates…"

"You think he might have planned something from the inside?" Eames asked.

"Yes…he really is our only logical lead—"

"No," Goren shook his head. "If he wanted revenge…he would wait till he could do it himself. I doubt this has anything to do with her kidnapping."

"I'm not so sure of that, detective," Harris said, with a bit more bite than Goren expected.

Goren gave a nod that said, _okay fine; do it your way until you figure out that I'm right_.

"Detectives, go talk with her roommate, she's the last one that we know for sure saw her before she disappeared, then see what you can dig up on Mattish's outside contacts," Ross ordered.

"It's a waste of time," Goren said, pacing toward the door.

"Well do it anyway," Ross said.

Goren held up his hands defensively as he slipped past Eames and out of the office. Eames turned on her heel and began toward her desk.

"Alex," Harris called, stopping her a couple yards away from the captain's office. "We should get a drink, catch up…"

"Uh…maybe…we have a lot of work to do," Eames said. "Can you get something set up for us to talk with the family?"

"Sure."

"Good," Eames nodded and then headed back to her desk.

Harris watched her sit across from Goren and flip open her laptop. She had gained a few laugh lines around her eyes and her body seemed fuller, but otherwise she was what he remembered.

He didn't miss the silent communication between the two detectives and he wondered just how deep that communication ran.

Goren watched Eames punching at the keys on her laptop, fighting back the urge to ask about her and Harris. He, instead, focused on what he remembered about Maggie Colter, eager to find out what had happened to her.

**A/N: I've only seen a handful of episodes from season six all the way through…so let me know how I'm doing with Captain Ross or if you have any suggestions. I know he tends to be more involved than Deakins, so I'm not quite sure what to do with him.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The apartment was small but well furnished and only a few blocks away from Hudson University. It was filled with bright purple and magenta tones that were obviously the roommate's doing, judging by her choice of dress.

Zoë sat across from Eames and Harris with her feet tucked under her body. She occasionally glanced up to watch Goren pace the room, but other wise kept her eyes on her hands. It was obvious she had been crying that morning and she continuously bit the inside of her cheek.

"What do you think happened to her?" Zoë asked. "You don't think she's dead do you?"

"Right now she's just considered missing…we need any information you can think of that might help us find her," Eames said.

Eames leaned on the arm of the loveseat, in an effort to put distance between she and Harris, as she watched Zoë shake her head with uncertainty.

"I don't…she was here Wednesday morning and that's the last time I saw her…"

"Did she mention any plans? Any new people she was hanging out with?" Eames asked.

"She was always real quiet…she usually just hung out with whoever I was…or Wes…"

"Wes?" Goren turned away from the bookshelf and met Zoë's dark eyes.

"Yeah…he's this guy she's been seeing…"

"How long?" Eames asked.

Zoë shrugged. "A few months…I guess…"

"How…how did they meet?" Goren asked.

"Um…they were in a Lit class together…" Zoë said.

"We're they serious? Casual?" Goren asked.

"I don't know," Zoë shrugged. "She seemed to like him…look she didn't talk to me much about stuff like that…"

"You know who she did?" Eames asked.

"Probably Sarah, her sister…"

"Have you noticed anyone out of the ordinary? Hanging around the apartment or when you and Maggie went out?" Harris chimed in, splashing in their flow.

Zoë shook her head and shrugged again, while Goren wandered into Maggie's bedroom.

It was simple and mute, with a couple of M.C. Escher prints on the otherwise bare walls. An old family photo sat on her desk and a worn teddy bear lay on her bed. His eyes lingered over the bear, again remembering the sight of the young girl and then realizing they still had no idea about the woman they were looking for.

_She's not a little girl_, he recalled his own words from nearly seven years before and despite them, he still saw her as an innocent child, but now she really wasn't a little girl. She was a twenty-two year old woman and he had no idea who that was.

He forced his eyes over to her desk and began rummaging threw the draws. Random papers, staples, paperclips, and the like littered the top two. The third was larger and held text books and a few spiral notebooks.

He began to close the third, but found it jamming half way in.

Goren crouched to the floor and pulled the draw completely out, finding two spiral notebooks lying in the vacant space. He slid the notebooks out and began to thumb through them.

The lined pages were filled with short handed entries in what he assumed was Maggie's scrawl. He placed the notebooks into his binder for safe keeping and wandered back to the living room.

Eames had risen from her seat and was shaking hands with Zoë.

"You think of anything…give me a call," Eames said passing her card to her.

"I will…" Zoë nodded.

Goren followed Eames and Harris out of the building and down to the SUV.

Harris sat in the center of the back seat and Eames could feel his eyes boring holes into the back of her neck as she maneuvered the SUV onto the street.

"I see you still like to drive," Harris said.

Eames sighed and nodded.

Goren noticed her biting her bottom lip and her stiffened neck; eyes glued to the windshield.

"Well you wouldn't want to see me drive," Goren said with a forced smile. "Uh…you were saying earlier that she was in her first three classes Wednesday, but not the last…"

Harris nodded and Goren could tell he was slightly annoyed.

"She didn't show up to her night class that started at seven," Harris said.

"R-right…and the last class she attended ended at five-thirty," Goren said and then watched Harris nod. "Which class was it?"

"Um…Medieval Literature, I think," Harris replied.

Goren nodded and turned back to Eames. "We need to talk to the boyfriend."

"We could get Logan to go look for him while we talk to her parents," Eames said.

"I'll call in."

Harris cleared his throat. "Um…what about Mattish's contacts?"

Goren sighed and Eames could see him getting ready to protest.

"We'll have time to do both…" Eames said. "I doubt any of us will be getting home at a descent time tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Raines' house was much larger than the Colter house Goren and Eames remembered. Neither had met Rick Raines, but both had read about his ruthlessness with, who he insisted were, _alleged_ victims and his track record with exonerating falsely accused men. He specialized in he said, she said rape cases.

Rick and Susan Raines shook hands with Harris, who then introduced the detectives to Rick. He was tall, but lean like a runner, with black hair and was several years younger than Susan.

"Thank you so much for coming," a teary Susan said, shaking Eames' and then Goren's hand. "You helped Maggie…so much…"

Neither knew what to say to her, but instead shyly nodded.

"Why don't we all move into the den," Harris suggested, before turning and leading the way.

Harris and Rick had been frat brothers in college and had maintained a friendship since their careers had crossed paths on occasion, leading to regular drinking and poker sessions.

Goren sat next to Eames on a beige leather sofa, forcing Harris to sit on the opposite side of him.

Rick and Susan sat across from them, with Susan huddled close to his side. Goren watched Rick swing an arm around her shoulders while his other hand rested on her thigh.

"Wh-where's you're ex-husband?" Goren asked.

"Lucas moved to Chicago a couple years ago…after we were married," Susan explained. "He's working on getting here…"

"They've been having a lot of thunderstorms…flights keep getting canceled," Rick explained.

Goren nodded mutely and his eyes began to roam the burgundy walls, filled with what he figured were original art prints, but lacked any family photos.

"When did you last see Maggie?" Eames asked.

"Uh…she came over for dinner…I guess about a week ago…" Susan said. "I talked to her on the phone…Monday…"

"Sarah hadn't heard from her at all Wednesday…" Rick said.

"They talk almost every day," Susan added.

"How often did she come over?" Goren asked.

"Uh…she tried to make it for dinner once a week…she was very busy…between work and school," Susan said.

"Did she mention anything out of the ordinary?" Eames asked.

Susan shook her head, while Rick glanced over Eames.

"She was always very careful…if she felt like something was wrong…she would have told us…" Rick said.

"What about the boyfriend, Wes? Did she talk to you about him?" Goren asked, rising from the sofa, and then strolled over to an impressionist painting hanging above the fireplace.

"She didn't mention him…she may have just started seeing him," Susan said. "She didn't date much…"

"Or at least didn't mention it,' Rick said.

Goren paused, looking over Rick before leaning his head into a little hallway that peered into the kitchen. He caught a glimpse of a dark haired seventeen year old, who he knew had to be Maggie's sister.

"Her roommate said something similar," Goren said and then disappeared down the hall.

"Where is he going?" Rick asked.

"Don't worry…he does that," Eames said. "Mr. Raines you deal with some pretty nasty people…anyone you can think of who may have wanted to hurt you?"

"I make it a point only to represent people I believe are innocent…"

"Maybe an accuser, then?" Harris suggested. "Someone who couldn't take that she was caught in her lie…"

Eames bit back her tongue as she wringed her hands together.

Goren faintly heard the voices from the den as he walked the small corridor to the kitchen. Hovering in the doorway, he watched the young woman at the breakfast nook as she mindlessly stirred her spoon in the bowl of cereal.

"Hi, Sarah," Goren said.

She looked up at him with startled dark eyes.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Do you remember me?" Goren asked and cautiously walked more fully into the kitchen.

She nodded. "Your hair is grayer…"

He faintly smiled. "I…I guess it is. Can I sit with you?"

She replied with a non-committal wave and a shrug.

"I thought you were coming to talk to mom and Rick…"

Goren sat across from her and linked his hands together as he rested them on the wooden table top.

"I think you might be the one who can really help us," he paused to study her dark eyes. "You and Maggie are close."

Sarah nodded. "Ever since mom and dad separated we didn't have much choice."

Goren looked down at the dark lines of the table and nodded. "Sometimes parents…get…too wrapped up in their own lives…"

"It only got worse after mom married Rick…Maggie only comes home when she absolutely has to…"

"Do she and Rick not get along?"

She sighed. "He…frustrates her…"

"How so?"

"She said he was fake…she felt like she couldn't be herself here…"

"What about her boyfriend, Wes? Did you meet him?"

"Yeah…Maggie said he was sweet…" Sarah said, with downcast eyes.

"Sweet?"

"Yeah…but clingy…I think he was into it more than she was."

The doorbell chimed through the house and Sarah rose from the table followed by Goren.

He bent slightly and touched her elbow. "Thank you, Sarah."

He watched her walk toward the foyer and soon followed.

Harris stood with Susan, Rick, and Sarah as they each welcomed Faith Yancy into their home. Goren stepped up beside Eames, who was hanging back near the staircase.

"The three ring circus just got here," Eames muttered.

"Yeah," Goren nodded. "And Maggie Colter's the main attraction."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the delay on this. I was moving to a new apartment so, needless to say I got a little behind on my writing, but I'm settled in and all unpacked (Yay!) so I should be getting back to more of a regular schedule soon. Well anywho here's chapter five, so let me know what you think so far. **

Chapter 5

Eames stood with her arms crossed over her chest next to Ross in the media room watching that night's Faith Yancy program. Harris stayed to Ross's left with his eyes fixed on the TV monitor.

Faith Yancy's voice came through the speaker filling the room with a deceivingly sweet southern draw. _"On your screen right now is a picture of Maggie Colter. She's a Hudson University student who went missing Wednesday evening. Six years ago she was a victim of a similar crime, along with her mother and sister, who were held for ransom. Maggie I'm afraid bore the brunt of the attack. When we come back I will share an interview I did earlier today with the Colter-Raines family, along with Agent Gregory Harris of the FBI; the lead investigator on the case."_

Eames shook her head disapprovingly and could barely contain her snort at the term "lead investigator."

"Where's your partner?" Ross asked as he turned toward her.

"He's reading through Maggie's diaries we found in her apartment," Eames explained.

"Have you gotten anywhere with the Simon Mattish angle?"

"I've found a few possibles, but no one so far that we can guarantee had contact with Mattish to be able to plan this," Eames said. "We're also waiting on Logan to see if he turned up anything on the boyfriend."

Ross turned his attention back to the screen as the commercials ended and Eames watched Harris stand a little straighter at the sight of himself on the screen.

"I'll get back to work," Eames said, shortly, and headed back to the conference room she and Goren had taken over.

Goren sat with the two spiral notebooks spread in front of him, along with his own binder and shifted between the three, reading and then making notes.

He looked up as he heard Eames plop into the seat across from him and went to work on the laptop.

Eames could feel him studying her. She silently cursed herself for the way she looked at Harris and more importantly the way he looked at her, knowing Goren hadn't missed it. She could feel him rolling the scenarios around his head and each one unnerving him more.

She looked up and caught sight of his eyes. "Not now…"

"I wasn't going to say anything," he said, holding up his hands defensively.

She leaned back in her chair and stretched.

"Are you getting anywhere with that?" she asked.

"Not yet…it's going to take sometime to figure out her notes…most of the entries are written in some personalized short hand…some of them are just simple things like taking off the vowels, but others are more complicated."

"Wonder what she didn't want anybody else to know," Eames said.

Goren nodded, still holding her gaze. "Me too."

She let him hold her eyes to his until they were both startled by the knocking on the already open door. They found Logan hovering in the doorway with a file in his hand.

"Am I interrupting?" Logan teased.

Eames sat forward with a scowl. "What did you find?"

"Nothing…"

"You care to elaborate on that?" Eames asked.

"This kid hasn't been seen since nine o'clock Wednesday night. His roommate said he got a call and rushed out of the apartment…his parents live in Philly they haven't heard from him either…"

"Great, so now we have two missing kids," Eames said.

"Or…or a suspect," Goren said.

Eames looked back at Goren, sadly nodding.

"I already put alerts on his credit cards and bank accounts…if he turns up we'll know about it," Logan said. "Look guys, if you need more help on this I'm still stuck with mostly paperwork."

"You don't have a new partner yet?" Goren asked.

"Not since you returned and stole Eames back," Logan said with a cat like grin. "I'm apparently getting a new playmate next week…"

Goren and Eames exchanged small smiles.

"We'll let you know," Goren said.

"All right…well you guys have a good night…I'm going home," Logan said and then turned to leave.

"He keeps this up, he's going to beat you're record," Eames said.

Goren quietly chuckled, briefly forgetting the tension around them, but when he looked over to find her eyes they were glued back to the laptop.

"What are you thinking?" she asked without looking up.

"I…I'm not sure," Goren shrugged. "Argument gone wrong…another guy…the answer…is in these journals."

They sat in silence for a few more hours, looking up briefly when Ross waved good night and the several times that Harris came to check on their progress.

Eames rubbed her eyes, which were beginning to blur from the light of the screen.

"Getting anywhere?" Harris appeared at the head of the table, directing his question to Eames.

"Uh…there's one name that keeps coming up on Mattish's visitor list…Julio Vega…he's your basic muscle for hire. I can't find a current address on him though."

Harris nodded. "All right, well I have few more calls to make and then I'm heading home…see you back here in the morning."

Eames stretched as he walked away and continued rubbing her eyes. She shut the laptop and began to clean up her area.

"I got to get some sleep," Eames said as she rose from her chair.

Goren watched her closely. "Do you—"

"I'll see you in the morning, Bobby," she said quietly but firmly.

She walked out the door before he could say anything else. He watched her turn the corner to the elevators and saw Harris trotting to catch up with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay so I wrote this once and really liked it, then my computer decided to be weird and eat it…it just disappeared…I have no idea why. I swear I think these machines have minds of their own and are just out to thwart us…So here is what I came up with as a replacement…it's still pretty close, but still missing a few lines that I can't remember. Thanks for everyone who has been reviewing. Let me know how the pacing is for everyone. I generally don't like to rush a story but I don't want it to drag either. let's out deep breath okay on with the show.**

Chapter 6

Eames rolled her eyes to the ceiling as Harris slipped onto the elevator. She could feel his eyes roaming her side and was beginning to regret leaving Goren behind.

"Don't I even deserve a 'hello?'" he asked.

"Harris—" she threatened.

"What happened to 'Greg?' I would think I'd at least warrant a first name basis with you."

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "Hi, Greg. Now don't you have a wife to go home to?" She gestured to the thin gold band on his finger.

Harris glanced at the ring as if studying its significance.

"We have…an understanding."

"Lucky her," Eames muttered.

"Any way, we only got married because of Preston…you should see him…he's three…"

"A baby's no reason to get married."

"Tell that to her father."

Eames stared at her body reflected in the metal doors, but couldn't meet her own eyes. She hoped that the sudden silence around them would last the rest of their confinement.

"I heard about what happened last year…I'm glad you're okay," she heard him say and fought back the flinch that threatened to give away her discomfort. "I'm surprised you haven't requested a new partner. I understand he personally knew the perp."

She clenched her jaw and tried not to take his bait; not wanting to give him too much information on hers and Goren's relationship.

"I also hear he's unstable," Harris continued.

"It wasn't his fault," the words slipped from her mouth at their own free will.

"The being unstable or the kidnapping?"

"Both," Eames snapped. "And he's not unstable."

He smiled and she recalled how he used to tell her how cute she was when she was angry.

"You really do look great," he said and reached a hand out to hover over her cheek.

"Don't," she said batting away his hand.

Eames looked up at the scrolling numbers; two more floors.

Harris leaned to whisper in her ear, "Is he fucking you too?"

She glared up at him, but the ding of the opening doors helped her bite back the words dancing on her tongue.

Luckily he didn't follow her as she stormed toward her car and began the drive back home to Rockaway.

Once home she didn't bother with dinner, but went straight to her bedroom and stripped down to her camisole and panties. She flopped down on the center of the bed and stretched her limbs across the queen sized mattress.

It was an act she had grown accustom to since Joe's death and eventually came to enjoy after the draining cases. The bed became her cocoon where the world could no longer touch or torment her with murdered girls and killers that got off on a technicality.

After the really bad cases, the ones that seemed to rip at something deep inside her, she would curl her body into the vacant space beside her. A part of her thought if she could just remember Joe's scent it would bring her peace, or at the very least clarity.

Tonight was the first in years that she found her head resting in the space where nine years ago her husband's body would have lay.

Her eyes were heavy, but wouldn't close and she couldn't shake the thoughts and memories mingling in her head.

_This must be what it's like in Bobby's head all the time_, she thought wryly.

She missed him; both of them.

"Jesus, Joe, what am I doing?" she thought out loud. "He gave me an out…why didn't I take it? Greg was a…debacle of bad decisions, but Bobby…I don't know…I don't want to make the same mistake."

She knew the air around her wouldn't give her an answer, but she still half expected to see Joe's playful smile and hear his hopeful voice.

She had always been more cynical than Joe, but that was part of the attraction, the fact that they balanced each other out. Their relationship was fast and exciting with lust and desire growing into respect and love, while she and Harris had had a silent understanding that their relationship would never leave the realm of lust.

With Bobby it was different. She had already known him three years longer than she had her husband and had had his respect and admiration for over six years. She wasn't sure when the word "desire" became a part of the same sentence as "Bobby Goren" in her mind, but she did know that she wasn't ready for "desire" to turn into "love."

_God damn it, if that ship isn't already pulling away from the dock_, she thought with a huff and rolled onto her back.

If she could swallow her pride, she would show up on Goren's door step and sleep soundly curled against his side, but that would mean letting him in on how much she had grown to need him and that just might skirt too close to emotions they'd been dancing around for the last three months; maybe even years.

She stared up at the slow moving fan and knew she wasn't getting any sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**REPOST/UPDATE**

**Initially I said I was going to take a hiatus to support the strike, but after talking with other fans who support it, the majority seems to think we need to keep fanfiction going. So I have been convinced that they are right and my initial reaction was wrong. Just a warning I will probably post things in my A/N with info/suggestions on how to support the strike. So if you think I'm being too preachy just skip the bold print and go straight to the good stuff (or I at least hope its good stuff). **

**First off, one thing that is being suggested we do is boycott the January 15****th**** premiere of American Idol. Apparently this brings in as many viewers as the Super bowl. So the idea is if we can prove to the corporations that own the networks that they will lose ratings and money by not having writers, the sooner they may revisit the guild's demands and the sooner our favorite shows can get back into production. If anyone wants more info on what the strike's about go to the CI message board on the USA website and check out the thread "CI and The Writer's Guild Strike." In particular read the posts by VDOVault. They have the best info. There's links to other boards that have been set up to support the strike from several different fandoms. **

**A/N: Hey all! 40 reviews for 6 chapters! This is a personal high score for this novice to the fan fiction world and I'm really appreciative and glad you are enjoying. **

Chapter 7

Eames put on a little more concealer than usual to hide the sleepless dark circles under her eyes. She was on her second thermos of coffee when she entered the bullpen and was greeted by the frustrated voice of her partner.

She looked toward the conference room and saw him standing next to the white board, animatedly arguing his point to Harris, who sat just as annoyed at the metal table.

Eames sighed, briefly wondering if she could just sneak out without either of them noticing, but she wasn't surprised when Goren's eyes found her and silently pleaded for her help.

"I'm not going to have to separate you boys, am I?" Eames tried to tease as she hovered in the doorway.

"Look," Goren said waving her eyes toward the board, which was filled with lists of words and their corresponding abbreviations. "Sh-she inverted letters to create a code." Eames recognized his excitable tone and nodded with his hand gestures. "Moving vowels to the front and constantans to the back…but she only did it in certain passages. This combination: A, E, S, H, N, shows up in every coded message…"

Eames squinted at the letters and then turned her eyes back to Goren's.

"Shane," Eames said.

"R-right," Goren said.

"Another boyfriend…one she didn't want anyone to know about."

Goren nodded. "An…older…boyfriend."

"This is all very fascinating," Harris said as he rose from his seat. "But I got at hit on Vega. We found a house that he uses on occasion in Queens. Ross and I are organizing a team …if nothing comes from it, then we'll move to your secondary theory."

"Sec-secondary?" Goren asked, matching Harris' condescension. "The boyfriends…are the only _primary_ connections we have to Maggie…or did you forget about the missing girl?"

"We're all on the same team, detective," Harris said. "Just remember you two are on this case as a courtesy…the FBI is running it."

Harris stood his ground for a moment, keeping his eyes locked to Goren's, who nodded with a clenched jaw.

Eames looked down at the floor as Harris brushed passed her and let out along sigh before looking up at Goren.

"This isn't a hit or a kidnapping," Goren muttered, while pacing a small circle.

"Did you go home at all last night?" Eames asked.

"Uh…a couple hours," he shrugged. "I lost track of time…"

She felt a twinge of irrational guilt, which only fueled her growing irritation. Why should she feel guilty for his sleeplessness when she had her own to deal with?

He stilled and watched her. She was sure he could see her agitation and her exhaustion.

"Are…are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said shortly. "We should get ready…you know Ross is going to want both of us to go with Harris."

Goren nodded mutely and followed her to join Harris in the captain's office.

Two hours later the three of them stood outside the front door of Vega's modest house in Queens with a uniformed team on stand by behind them.

Goren and Eames stood on either side of the door with Harris in front of it preparing to knock. Vega barely got the door open before Harris pushed his way through followed by Eames and then Goren.

Vega's lanky frame stumbled backwards and tried to regain his footing to run down the hall.

"Get down!" Harris barked.

"What the hell? What I do?" Vega growled back and Harris pushed him to the ground to cuff him. "You guys better have a fucking warrant!"

"I think you'd be use to this," Harris said as he pulled Vega to his feet. "Sit down."

Harris shoved him down to the near by sofa, while Goren nodded for Eames to lead the way in their search.

She gestured for a few uniforms to take the upstairs while she headed down the hallway to the 1960s style kitchen with Goren behind her.

"Isn't this charming," Eames muttered as she glanced over the brown pattern of the linoleum.

She turned to find Goren's eyes focused on the red throw rug under a small table.

He slid the table out of the way and then knelt down to throw the rug away from the spot. Beneath it was a door leading to the basement.

Eames followed Goren into the dank, narrow space and found a grey cinderblock wall with a steel door. Goren fingered the pad lock on the door and turned a weary eye back toward Eames.

"I'll go find a bolt cutter," Eames said.

She climbed back up to the top floor and was quickly able to find a uniform officer who retrieved a bolt cutter from their truck.

Back in the basement, Eames found Goren crouched on the floor, trying to peer through the crack between the concrete and the door.

"It-it smells like bleach," he said, pushing himself up from the floor.

Eames nodded with thinly pressed lips as they shared a glance of apprehension regarding what they may or may not find behind the door.

She passed the cutters to him and he squeezed the sides against the heavy lock. Finally it snapped in two with a heavy clunk as the lock dropped to the cold floor.

Goren glanced back at Eames, who nodded as she placed her hand over the butt of her gun and then watched him push the door open.

They both sighed with a mixture of relief and disappointment at the empty room.

Goren quickly went into examine the sparse room, save one work bench against the far wall. Eames stopped short of the doorway and started to feel that familiar tightening in her chest as she noticed a rusted hook rooted to the ceiling.

She turned her focus on Goren's broad shoulders as he knelt to the floor and examined a specific spot on the ground in a corner.

"Eames," he called. "There's blood here."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Eames stood in front of the glass with Ross watching Goren and Harris in the interrogation room with Vega. Both men had insisted on being present during the interrogation, but both also only wanted Eames in the room with them.

After a two minute debate, Eames threw her hands in the air and declared, "Leave me out this. You both go in…I'll work on getting the lab results from Rogers."

She left the observation room before either could protest, only to slip back in after they disappeared into the interrogation room.

"Detective, is there anything I need to know about you and Harris?" Ross asked.

Eames turned, startled, and quickly tried to regroup in order to answer.

"Uh…no, sir. We were partners...very briefly."

"Do you trust his judgment?" Ross asked.

Eames sighed, relieved that he seemed to be letting go of whatever speculations he might have had. She looked back at Goren through the glass, noticing the familiar tick of his neck as he spoke to Vega.

"Not as much as my partner's," Eames said.

Ross nodded, closely watching her, and pressed the intercom so they could hear the rest of the interview.

"It's only a matter of time before we match the blood," Harris threatened.

"What blood?" Vega asked with a snort.

"The blood we found in your basement," Goren said as he pulled a photo of the blood spots from his binder. "Y-you missed a spot."

Vega looked down at the photo with pursed lips and shoved it back toward Goren.

"I don't know how this got there," Vega said.

"You don't know how blood got into your basement?" Harris asked, his voice dripping with condescension.

"You have quiet a rap sheet," Goren said.

"Then you know I don't do murder."

"No. You just work them over…you torture them until they give you whatever your…employer…wants," Goren said and placed a picture of Maggie Colter on the table. "Anyone ask you to take her?"

Vega shook his head. "I don't mess with women."

"Right, except that rape charge—"

"Hey, I was cleared on that!"

Goren nodded as he watched him. "I see that—"

"Why have you been visiting Simon Mattish?" Harris asked.

"Who?"

"Mattish…you've visited him five times over the course of the last two months at Rikers," Harris said.

Vega rolled his eyes. "You don't listen very well, do you? I don't know anyone named Mattish. I went there to visit my cousin…maybe some one screwed up the paperwork."

"Okay, let's try for a simpler question: where were you Wednesday night?" Harris asked.

"Wednesday night?" Vega repeated with a triumphant snort. "Forget my rap sheet…check my passport. I've been in Argentina for the past two weeks. Didn't get back till Thursday morning."

Goren glanced at Harris, whose face was twisted with frustration.

"Don't play with us, Vega," Harris growled.

"Does anyone else have access to your house?" Goren asked.

Vega shrugged. "I guess it's possible."

"You're not buying this are you?" Harris asked.

"Look, asshole," Vega said. "Go check out my alibi…I'll wait. And while you're at get me a lawyer."

"I'm surprised you don't have one on retainer," Harris said, rising from the table.

Harris had his hand on the door knob before he realized Goren was still seated at the table, studying Vega.

"You know something…" Goren said, simply as he cocked his head to catch Vega's eyes. "Did you come home to something that you weren't expecting? Someone left a mess for you to clean up?"

Vega leaned across the table and mouth the word, "lawyer."

Goren nodded and rose from the table as he gathered his notebook.

Eames watched through the glass as Goren followed Harris back into the observation room to rejoin her and Ross, jotting down and checking his notes as he went.

"Well, any other ideas, people?" Ross asked.

"We're still not sure he's telling the truth," Harris said.

"Oh come on," Goren exclaimed. "Look how calm he is. The only time he even blinked was when I mentioned him finding something in his basement."

"Well, I'm not cutting him loose until we confirm his alibi…and even then I'm sure we can find something to hold him on."

Eames sighed as she watched Goren rub the back of his neck and return his eyes back to the files in his binder. She could see something click in his head as his brow furrowed at a particular spot on the page.

"Uh…Vega's lawyer on the rape allegation was Shane McAlister," Goren said. "As in…Raines and McAlister."

"Rick's business partner," Eames said.

"I'm sure it's pure coincidence," Harris said.

"He could be the Shane from Maggie's journal," Goren said.

Eames nodded and then saw a uniformed officer come in, who passed off a file to her.

"Go talk to him. See what he might know," Ross said.

"One of us needs to stay here to check Vega's alibi," Harris said.

Ross nodded. "He was your collar…you should stay with him."

Eames only half heard the exchange as she read over the report from Rogers and then looked over at Goren.

"The blood we found," Eames said. "It didn't match Maggie Colter's."

Eames wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or even more concerned, and saw the same sentiment reflected in Goren's eyes.

"Could she match it to any of the databases?" Ross asked.

"Looks like she's still working on it," Eames said.

Ross nodded and Goren and Eames didn't miss the annoyance floating in his eyes.

"Well, Agent Harris, it looks like this might not even be related to the Colter case, which means we have wasted time for Maggie," Ross said.

"With all due respect, captain, but we still don't know anything for sure," Harris said. "And I know McAlister…"

"Which is exactly why you should leave Goren and Eames to go and talk to him," Ross said. "Detectives, I'll call to let him know you're on your way."

Eames and Goren smirked at Ross's reaction to Harris as they quietly left the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Raines and McAlister offices looked as if they had come off the pages of an Ikea catalogue with a sparse and streamline design, though Eames was sure that they paid quiet a bit more for it than the average Ikea shopper.

McAlister propped himself on the corner of his desk, standing only a couple feet away from where Eames sat.

He was just barely forty with boyish looks accented by his fair complexion. He gave an uncertain smile to the detectives, while Goren paced the area behind Eames's chair and wrung his hands together since he couldn't find anything to fiddle with.

"I assume you're here about Rick's step-daughter," McAlister said. "I'm afraid I don't think I can help."

"No, see, we're actually here about one of your old clients," Eames said. "Julio Vega."

McAlister nodded and then stood as his young blonde secretary walked in with all her focus on not spilling the cup of coffee she carried in her palm.

"You sure neither of you want some?" McAlister asked as the secretary place the cup on his desk.

"Thanks, but we're fine," Eames said. "About Vega…"

Eames voice trailed off as McAlister took a sip of the coffee and then gave a sour face.

"Oh Linda, this has milk, not creamer. Please, get me another," he said.

Eames rolled her eyes up to Goren as he appeared closer to the desk.

"Sorry, sir. I'll fix it," Linda said and then brushed past Goren.

"Sh-she's new?" Goren asked, turning his attention from the secretary to McAlister.

"Uh…yes," McAlister said. "Helena, my old secretary, her last day was Tuesday."

"That's an odd last day," Goren said as he picked up a picture of a ten year old boy from McAlister's desk.

"I suppose it is," McAlister said, taking the frame from Goren's hand. "She unfortunately had to be let go."

"You're married?" Goren asked.

"Separated," McAlister said, unable to hide the confusion in his furrowed brow. "I thought this was about Julio Vega, not my marital status."

"Do you know if Vega ever had any contact with Maggie?" Eames asked.

McAlister shook his head. "I don't see how…or why."

"What kind of…contact…did you have with Maggie?" Goren asked.

McAlister snapped his neck toward Goren, worry briefly crossing his features, but quickly transforming to insult.

"I beg your pardon?" McAlister asked.

Goren cocked his head and then said, "I was just curious if you had any sort of personal relationship with…with Maggie?"

McAlister snorted and shook his head.

"Rick and I are friends…I would never cross that kind of line," McAlister said. "Now if you don't have anything useful to ask…I'm going to need you to leave."

"Right," Goren nodded as his soft _I can see right through you _smile tugged at his lips.

"We'll be in touch if we think of anything else," Eames said as she rose from her seat.

She led the way toward the door with Goren not far behind, but as she got her hand on the knob he turned.

"One more thing," Goren said, holding up his forefinger. "Did you ever go to Vega's house in queens?"

McAlister sighed and dismissively shrugged. "Sure…Rick and I both met with him there when I represented him."

Goren nodded and Linda brush past them with a new cup of coffee in her hands.

"Thanks again," Goren called over his shoulder as he followed Eames to the elevator.

They were both quiet as they made their way back to the SUV. Eames couldn't help but be amused by Goren's behavior with McAlister. Ever since they had become more than just partners, she had found herself having to fight back smiles at odd times; his quirks and ticks becoming a comforting constant.

They had been driving for several minutes and she apparently was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't even notice his gaze.

"Are…are you going to tell me what's going on with you?" Goren suddenly asked.

"Nothing is going on with me," Eames said, refusing to look at him.

"Right…" Goren said. "That's why you've been avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you…"

"You're not? So, what was up with last night?"

"What? I can't want some time to myself anymore?"

"If that's what you wanted why not just tell me?"

"So a few months of…whatever we've been doing and I have to run everything by you?"

"That's not what—"

His voice was cut off by the buzz of his cell phone and he sighed with annoyance.

"Well, answer it," Eames said.

"Goren…really? Okay…yeah we'll meet you back at one PP," Goren said and then flipped the phone shut. "That was Logan. He got a hit on Wes's credit card in Jersey…he's bringing him in right now."

Eames nodded, thankful for Logan's interruption and hoped Goren would just let it go.

He let a few beats pass, but she wasn't surprised when he spoke up again.

"I can tell something is bothering you…something you don't want to tell me."

"And I'm asking you to leave it alone," Eames said, annoyance clogging her voice, though she wasn't sure if she was more frustrated with him or herself.

She knew he wouldn't judge her or betray her confidence, but she just couldn't do it. Verbalizing meant she would have to revisit it and she wasn't ready to open that wound again.

"Eames," he said, keeping his voice soft and even. "I just want to help."

"I know…but this is none…" her voice tailed as she took a deep breath and tried not to completely lash out at him. "This is nothing you need to worry about."

He threw his hands up in defeat and with a scowl turned his eyes to look out the window.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Wes sat in the grey interrogation room and tapped his forefinger against the metal table.

He was a lanky twenty-something with simple brown hair and dark-rimmed glasses.

Eames and Goren sat across from him as he nervously chewed his bottom lip.

"We pulled your phone records, we know you talked to Maggie before she disappeared," Eames said. "You're more than likely the last person to hear from her."

Wes shook his head and stared down at the table.

They had been talking to him for forty minutes and he hadn't said a word. Logan spent the first thirty seeing if he could scare him into giving something up and for the last ten Eames had been trying to reason with him.

Eames let out a frustrated sigh and glanced at Goren, who was steadily watching Wes and effectively avoiding her gaze.

"Did you find out about Shane?" Goren asked. "Is that what started it?"

"You and Maggie got into an argument …things got out of hand," Eames said, feeling slightly comforted by the fact that their earlier argument hadn't completely ruined their rhythm.

"Whatever happened…you didn't mean it…it-it was an accident," Goren said.

Wes rubbed his fingers against his lips as if trying to fight back the words he needed to say.

Goren leaned forward. "I can tell you want to do the right thing…just tell us what happened. Tell us where she is."

"I didn't hurt Maggie!" Wes exclaimed. "She…"

His voice trailed off as he realized the words had actually escaped between his lips.

Goren shifted to the edge of the table and leaned closer to Wes.

"She what?"

Wes sighed and neither Eames nor Goren missed the debate that played across this features.

"She…she's safe," Wes finally said and looked up at Goren. "That's all you need to know."

Goren sat back with a huff and then glanced back at Eames.

She nodded with thin pressed lips as she rose form her seat. Goren followed suit as he rounded the table and held the door for her more out of habit than courtesy.

They found Ross with Logan and Harris in the observation room.

"I don't know about you two, but this kid doesn't seem capable of crushing a grape," Logan said.

"Great, so one of our top suspects was in Argentina, while the other is as cuddly as a kitten," Ross said.

Eames watched Harris duck his head, trying to hide his frustration and embarrassment.

"I need to make some phone calls," Harris said, brushing past the detectives before disappearing out the door.

Goren stepped up to the glass and rubbed his finger across his lips as he watched Wes chewing on his thumb nail.

"Logan, you picked him up at a convenience store, right?" Goren asked and then watched Logan nod. "Wh-what was he buying?"

Logan shrugged. "Uh…some sodas, chips, sandwiches."

Goren nodded and paced a short circle.

"We need to search the area where you found him," Goren said and then abruptly left the observation room.

It took them less than an hour to organize a search team, but four hours of searching had still turned up nothing.

Eames stood a few yards away from Goren watching him as he scanned the area for what must have been the tenth time. There was a string of pawn shops and a couple jewelry stores across from the convenient store they stood in front of.

His eyes settled on a seedy motel with a neon sign.

"He wouldn't have gone far," Goren muttered to himself.

Eames stepped closer to him, hoping he would let her in on what he was thinking, and then followed his gaze to the motel.

"You think he might have stashed her in the motel?" Eames asked.

Goren nodded and started toward it.

Eames trotted after him as he crossed the street and heard heavy footsteps behind her. She wasn't surprised to find Harris following her.

"Where is he going?" Harris called.

"Checking out the motel," Eames said without breaking her stride.

She followed Goren into the small office and the smell of nicotine hit her nostrils. Goren was taping the bell on the counter by the time she reached his side.

"Yeah, Yeah! I'm coming!" a male voice with a Jersey accent called back.

A round, greasy man appeared with graying hair and mustache.

"Have you seen these two?" Goren asked, holding up pictures of Wes and Maggie.

"What's it to you?" the man asked with a snort.

Goren held up his badge. "Have you seen them?" he asked, with a more incessant and annoyed tone.

"Yeah, okay. Room two twenty-two," he said. "What'd they do?"

Goren and Eames had already spun around toward the door before he got all the words out and Harris wasn't far behind.

They climbed the rusted metal stairs to the second floor.

Goren came to a halt as they came to the door and glanced back at Eames, catching a glimpse of Harris over her shoulder, who hovered back near the steps.

She nodded and then watched Goren tap his fist on the door.

They listened to light footsteps come to the other side of the door and then the locks dislodge.

"Wes?" a feminine voice said as the door cracked open. "What took—"

A pale faced Maggie appeared in front of them, her voice dropping off at the realization of who stood in front her.

"Maggie? Do you remember us?" Goren asked.

Maggie shook her head as tears welled in her eyes and she backed away from the door.

"Please…" she whimpered.

Eames stepped into the room first followed by Goren and Maggie continued to back away from them.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Eames said.

"Please don't make me go back," Maggie said, her voice cracking as her back pressed against the wall.

Goren approached her cautiously, bending slightly so she could see his eyes.

"It's going to be all right, Maggie," Goren said keeping his voice low and soft.

She looked up at him, still shaking her head.

"No…please," Maggie pleaded again as she leaned her head into Goren's shoulder.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"I told you Wes didn't do anything to me," Maggie argued as she sat across from Goren and Eames in the interview room not far from their desks.

Goren sat forward with his fingers twined together, studying the young woman before them as she chewed on her thumb. Her hair was much shorter and more styled, but her face was clean and understated, the way Eames and Goren remembered her.

"He didn't force you to go with him?" Goren asked.

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No," she huffed. "I asked him to go…I just wanted to get away for a few days…that's it."

"In Jersey?" Eames asked in disbelief.

Maggie shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Goren asked.

They watched her eyes roam the wall behind them, searching for an answer.

"It…it was spur of the moment. We didn't plan it…we just decided to go," she explained.

"Then why were you so upset when we found you?" Goren asked. "If you're covering for him…or…or someone else…we can help you."

"I'm not!" she said a little louder than she meant to. "Everything is fine…you just startled me."

Maggie sat back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest, and stared down the table top.

"Who…who's Shane, Maggie?" Goren asked.

Maggie shot a glare up at Goren.

"How? What?"

"We read your journal, Maggie," Eames said.

"What? You had no right to—"

"We were trying to help you," Eames said.

"You went through a lot of trouble to keep those secrets," Goren said.

"Which is why I don't want to talk about it with you," Maggie practically growled.

Goren sat back in his chair and Eames could see the frustration in his eyes as he rested his chin on his palm.

There was a tapping on the door and then Ross popped his head into the room.

"Miss Colter's family is here," Ross said, fully opening the door.

"Can I go?" Maggie asked.

Eames nodded.

Maggie shot up from the table and rushed passed Ross, while Goren and Eames made their way toward the door. They saw Harris leading Susan and Rick to meet Maggie and a few yards behind them was Lucas Colter.

"Dad?" Maggie said, surprised and relieved.

Goren and Eames stood by Ross as they watched Maggie brush pass her mom and latched on to her father.

Lucas tightly hugged his daughter, while Susan placed her palm against Maggie's back.

"God, Maggie, what were you thinking?" he pleaded.

Maggie pulled away from him. "I'm sorry…I wasn't thinking…I just needed a break."

"It's okay, sweetie, just please don't do anything like that again," Lucas said and then kissed her forehead.

"Come on, Maggie, let us take you home with us," Rick said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched, but tried to hide it as she stepped back.

"I'd really just like to go back to my apartment," Maggie said. "Dad, can you drive me?"

"Sure," Lucas nodded and then began to guide Maggie toward the elevators.

"Maggie," Susan said softly as she followed them with Rick close behind.

Eames caught Harris turning to give her a glance before following Rick.

"Not quite the family reunion they were hoping for," Eames said.

Goren scratched the back of his neck and paced an agitated circle.

"Well, this has been a great use of our time," Ross muttered. "Get the paperwork cleaned up and head home."

"Wh-what about the blood we found?" Goren asked.

Ross sighed. "We'll hand what we know over to the local prescient."

"Sir, there's something going on here," Goren said. "We've started this, we should finish it."

"Goren," Ross said.

"Look, there's something Maggie isn't telling us…"

"Eames, what's your take on all of this?" Ross asked.

"She is hiding something from us, sir," Eames said.

Ross placed his hand on his hips and shook his head.

"All right…if Rogers can get a hit on the blood then you have a case, otherwise, we're moving on," Ross said.

"Yes, sir," Eames said.

Ross gave them one last look and headed back toward his office.

Eames went back to the table to clean up the files they had placed there and she could feel Goren watching her from the doorway.

"Let's go get something to eat," Goren offered, leaning against the door frame.

Eames shook her head. "Bobby, I'm tired. I just want to go home."

"Eames…I just want to talk to you—"

"This isn't the place."

"Then we go some place that is."

"I'm going home," she said, looking him directly in his eye. "You should do the same."

She pushed past him and left him hovering in the doorway.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Eames was curled on her sofa and sipped on a glass of red wine, hoping it would relax her enough to actually sleep. Her mind swirled with Goren and Maggie, remembering what it was like to be unsure and scared, while wanting and needing what wasn't in reach.

A part of her wanted to run over to his apartment and spill her guts about everything, but most of her wanted to curl into a ball and not come back out till everything had blown over.

Her attention turned to the window behind her as she saw headlights pull into her driveway.

"Why can't he just leave well enough alone," she muttered, assuming it was Goren.

The lights disappeared and a few minutes later there was an incessant knock on her front door.

She took another swig of her wine, thinking he would eventually just go away, but the knocking only got louder.

With a huff she pushed herself off the sofa, not sure of how she was going to get rid of him, but knew she couldn't leave him out there to wake up the neighbors.

She unlocked the door, not bothering to look through the peep hole.

"Bob—" her voice trailed as she realized it wasn't Goren but Harris that stood in front of her. "Harris…what are you doing here?"

He leaned into the doorway and she could smell the bourbon on his breath.

"I need to talk to you," Harris said.

She stepped back just to get away with from the smell, but he took the gesture as an invitation and made his way into the foyer.

"We have nothing to talk about," Eames said.

He stepped closer to her and ran a finger along her bare arm. "I guess we don't have to talk."

She rolled he eyes and shrugged him off, then watched him close her front door.

"Again…can I suggest you go home to your wife."

He let out a disdainful snort. "What? You don't think she's out banging one of her grad students as we speak?"

"And I guess the TV is raising your son."

"Hey, don't assume you know anything about my son," Harris said. "I came here because I need to know why."

Eames place one hand on her hip while the other scratched her brow. "Why? Why what?"

"Why you just went cold on me?" he asked, slightly unsteady on his feet as he came further into the house. "I mean for five months I had you and then…you just close shop for no reason?"

"Maybe I was sick of feeling like some service station!"

"Oh no," he said waving his hand in the air. "You don't get to play the 'you used me' card…not when you're the one who snuck out of my apartment in the middle of the night. What happened? You took off for a couple days and when you came back you could barely look me."

Eames looked down at her feet, trying to push back the memory of sneaking back to her house at one in the morning and sitting under the spray of a hot shower as she cried for her husband and what she had let herself become.

"We both knew what was between us," she said and looked back up at him. "Nothing was ever going to come from it."

"That's bullshit. That's just what you wanted to think because you couldn't let go of _him_," Harris said. "I wanted more."

"You had an odd way of showing it…you were only thinking about yourself. You didn't give a damn about me or what I wanted."

"I cared about you. We were good together."

"No…the sex was good…at first, but _we_ weren't."

"At first?" he scoffed and shook his head.

"Oh don't act so insulted."

He stepped closer to her, backing her against the wall.

"Does he know? Your partner?" he asked. "Does he know you'll eventually just stop; clam up like some frigid bitch?"

Her palm connected with the skin of his cheek and he stumbled backward at the throbbing.

"Get out of my house, Greg," she said in a low threatening voice.

"Alex, I—"

"Get out!" she said pushing him toward the door.

"Please…" he said trying to wrap his arms around her.

Eames struggled as she simultaneously pushed his hands off of her and reached for the door knob.

It wasn't hard to get him out of the door in his tipsy state and she quickly locked it behind him.

Eames leaned her back against the door and damned the tears threatening to escape her eyes and the trembling in her hands. She scrubbed her hand over her face and with a grunt of annoyance, both at Harris and herself, she pushed herself off the door.

"Shit," she muttered.

She slipped into a pair of old sneakers and pulled a hoodie over her tank top, as she blindly grabbed her keys and shoulder bag. She peered out the window to make sure Harris was gone and then slipped out to her car.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Goren was half asleep on his couch with files and books cluttered around him when the knocking began. Startled, he sat up and rubbed his hand over his face. He figured it was probably someone at the wrong apartment and was surprised when the knock turned into an all out bang.

He groaned and made his way to open the door.

Eames appeared in front of him and she looked toward him, but carefully avoided his eyes as he watched her with a puzzled gaze.

Eames let out a long breath and then in a tentative voice asked, "Can I stay here?"

He nodded with a furrowed brow.

"Yeah," he said stepping aside to let her in and then closed the door. "I think we're beyond having to ask."

He turned and realized she had already disappeared down the hall.

He cautiously followed, pausing to hover in the bedroom doorway, and watched her turn down the covers of what had become her side.

Eames crawled into the bed with her back to him and snuggled down into the covers, silently praying that he would just let her sleep.

She listened to him step further into the room and then felt the bed shift as he lay down beside her, propping his head up on his elbow and trying to see her eyes as he peered over her shoulder.

"Is this an appropriate place?" he asked and she could tell he was trying to not sound annoyed.

"Please, Bobby…I just want to sleep."

"You could sleep at your house."

_If only that were true_, she thought.

"This is about Harris," he said.

"Bobby—"

"I think I have a right to know what happened between you two," he said, no longer able to conceal his frustration.

"Oh, don't even—"

"What?"

"You still won't tell me what happened between you and Brady."

"Th-that's different."

"That's bull."

"Fine," Goren said, plopping down on his back. "Forget it."

"Don't tell me to forget it just so you don't have to talk."

They both huffed and stared at their perspective spans of white; his: the ceiling and hers: the wall.

He felt her tapping her foot in an effort to distract herself from all the emotions begging to be let out.

She could feel her throat tightening as she fought back tears and the need to be close to him.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, realizing she was losing both battles.

"It…it didn't last long," she said in a cautious and strained voice. "But God did it last too long…I…uh…I got pregnant…"

Her voice trailed as a wave of tears battled with her lashes.

She felt him shift closer to her and his hand settle on her hip.

"What…what did he say about the baby?"

Eames burrowed her nose further into the pillow.

She swallowed thickly, after gaining some semblance of control over her emotions. "I didn't tell him…I know it's horrible, but…I just…I couldn't have it…"

Goren sighed as he processed this information.

"B-because…you were still in love with…with your husband…you couldn't have some other man's child."

Eames nodded, thankful that he seemed to understand.

"So…I took a couple days off and…and I took care of it. It was over…the whole thing," she said. "I didn't mean for any of it to happen, but it felt so good to…forget. Joe…had been gone for over a year and it still hurt…so much. After the first time I swore I wouldn't let it happen again, but he kept pulling me back in…I kept letting him…"

She took in a deep breath and let go of the weight on her chest.

"Eames, you…you know that this…us…it isn't just about the sex," he said.

She twisted her neck to look at his eyes. "What is it about?"

He shrugged. "Wh-what do you want it to be about it?"

"Come on, Bobby," she said turning away from him again.

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Listen," he said, peering over her shoulder trying to win back eye contact. "I've known I've…had feelings for you…for years. I never planned to act on them…and I certainly never thought you'd reciprocate, but…then…then you did, even if it was the worst time. Look, I've never been very good at the whole…boyfriend…thing…and I can't make you many promises, I don't even know if you'd want me to…but I'd like to try."

Eames' hand ventured to find his on her hip and twined her fingers with his before dragging his arm to wrap more fully around her.

"Where ever this is going…" he said. "…we can figure it out at your pace. I…I really don't have anywhere else I have to be."

She rolled over in his arms to face him and planted her hands on his chest.

"You don't think I'm a horrible person?" Eames asked.

"No," he said, smoothing her hair away from her face. "I think…you made a mistake. People…we all screw up…"

"Big mistake," Eames muttered.

"It…uh…it could have been worse."

She closed her eyes and focused on his thumb sweeping against her cheek bone, but filed his last comment to the growing file marked _to ask about later_.

Eames stretched up and pressed her mouth to his, wanting him to make her feel warm and safe. It didn't take long for the kiss to deepen and she felt him quietly chuckle against her mouth.

"You're not really helping the not being about sex argument," Goren said.

She pulled back with a laugh. She studied his dark eyes and smiled as she smoothed her palms against his rough cheek.

"You don't have to prove that to me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer, hooking her thigh over his hip and claiming her lips with his own.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I thought I'd get back to the case in this chapter but they apparently had more stuff to talk about. Thanks for everyone whose been reviewing. **

Chapter 14

Eames stirred as the cool air from the window unit flew up her bare spine. She was immediately aware of the fact that she was alone and a brief moment of panic hit her, but then she saw the light peering under the door and heard the domestic sounds of running water coupled with clanking dishes.

She crawled out of bed, quickly finding her panties and slipped on one of Goren's dress shirts.

Quietly, she padded toward the kitchen and found him already in his suit, minus the jacket and tie, which lay on the back of a kitchen chair. He stood at the sink rinsing a coffee mug and glanced over his shoulder at her. He smiled at the sight of his sleeves rolled up five times to hit her wrist and the shirttail swinging past her knees.

"Hi," he said softly and then finished rinsing the mug before placing it in the dish drainer.

"Hi," Eames said as she finished the distance to the kitchen counter.

She hopped up onto the counter next to where he stood. She watched him dry his hands and then she gently grabbed his wrist, tugging him toward her.

Once he was in front of her, she laid her head down on his shoulder and she could tell he was surprised since he briefly tensed. The gesture was simple enough, but it was her white flag and the only way she could think of to let him know that she felt like he did. She may not have been able to speak it, but it was a promise that maybe one day she would.

As he eased, letting her rest against him, he rubbed his hands along her back in gentle circles.

"You…you okay?" he asked.

She nodded and then lifted her head to look up at him. His arms shifted down to her hips and he studied her eyes.

"You sneaking out on me?" she asked with a smirk.

He smiled sheepishly. "I was going to wake you before I left…I…uh…I thought you might want some time to yourself."

She smiled and dropped her head back to his shoulder. She felt exposed and shy, which she really hated, but she still didn't want to leave his apartment. Once one of them opened the front door the reality and complications of her decisions, past and present, would work their way back into their lives. Until now they both tried to ignore the full scope of what they had gotten themselves into, but now the doors were too wide open to go back.

"You know we're not as different as everybody thinks," she said and sat up to see his face. "Neither of us is very good at asking for help…"

He faintly smiled, both knowing that she mainly meant him.

"Or…or feeling vulnerable."

She gave a toothless smile and looked down. "No…I'm not."

"Hey," he said softly, raising his hand to cradle her cheek. "Alex, we can make this work…but I…I meant what I said…I'm not going to rush us into anything—"

"It's a little late to have the _let's not rush this_ talk," Eames teased as she gestured toward her current state of dress.

Goren nodded. "Y-you have a point."

She forced herself to hold his gaze, though she felt as if his dark eyes might bore holes into her with their sincerity.

"You know if we do this, really do this, it has to go both ways," Eames said. "You can't expect me to open up all my baggage if you're not going to do the same."

He nodded, uncomfortably and glanced down.

"I know," he said quietly. "That…uh…that's a conversation I'd rather not have…just before going to work…"

She looked down, not making a good show of hiding her disappointment.

"Later," he said, tipping her chin back up. "A…a lot of the things that I have to say…they aren't pretty—"

"You think last night was pretty for me?" Eames demanded. "Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to forget—"

"Yes! I do. I've…I've spent my whole life trying to forget some things."

"I know you have," she said, her stance softening. "At least I know a little…"

Goren tucked what bits of her bangs he could behind her ear and traced his finger along her cheek.

"I'm…I'm not going to be able to…open all of my baggage in one sitting…"

"Well I generally have most nights free," she said and tightened her arms around his waist.

"Unless you're avoiding me," he smirked.

She smiled despite the sting. "I guess I deserve that."

He looked down at her with a remorseful gaze and then kissed her forehead. She shifted her head back down to his shoulder and closed her eyes, enjoying the smell and feel that surrounded her. She didn't even realize when it had happened: when she stopped seeing him as her quirky partner, but as a wonderfully complicated man.

A faint ring filtered into the air and they both sighed.

"Saved by the text message," Eames said.

Goren pulled away with a small smile and started to fish out her phone from the shoulder bag she left on the kitchen table. He passed it to her and watched her flip it open.

"It's Rogers," Eames said. "She's got a hit on the blood."

"I guess we have a case then."

"Guess so."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Eames arrived to the eleventh floor of One PP about forty minutes after Goren, who was already seated at his desk looking through files. As she reached her desk she looked around and was thankful that Harris seemed to be no where in sight.

"Morning," Goren said.

"Morning," she said, briefly glancing up at him.

Despite that they had been doing this dance for three months, meeting up at work after just leaving each other was still awkward. Neither knew exactly what to say, not wanting to appear suspicious, but the feeling quickly melted away as they got into their natural rhythm of bouncing off ideas and interviewing suspects.

"I let Ross know we may have a hit on the blood," Goren said.

Eames looked up and nodded with a small, but sly smile.

"Wow, you talked civilly to Ross without a ref…things must be looking up."

He gave her a sheepish smile.

"We don't always need a sitter," Goren said, catching her eyes and both felt a little more at ease with the simple banter.

They shared a quiet smile that they hoped no one else noticed, until Eames broke the eye contact as she rose from her desk.

"I guess we should probably head down to Roger's office," she said.

He nodded and then followed her lead as she headed toward the elevators.

They found Rogers at her desk working on a breakfast of fruit and cottage cheese as she filled out reports from the previous day.

"You had something for us," Eames said as she knocked softly on the door.

"Morning, detectives," she said and grabbed for the file she wanted to show them.

She rose and rounded her desk to hold the brown file open in front of them. Eames stood close to Rogers as she looked over the file and felt Goren behind her as he peered over her shoulder.

"The blood you found matched the DNA on file for a Helena Moreno," Rogers explained. "Her family reported her missing around the same time Maggie disappeared."

"How did you get the DNA?" Goren asked as he placed his finger on the file, urging them to pass it to him.

"Her family submitted her DNA yesterday to run against a Jane Doe that was fished out of the Hudson," Rogers said.

"Let me guess," Goren said. "It wasn't a match."

Rogers shook her head.

Eames watched Goren nod and could tell he was working on connecting the dots.

"McAlister's old secretary was named Helena," Eames said.

Goren nodded. "He could have been seeing both of them…"

"But Helena didn't want to play anymore…"

"And Maggie saw something that put her in danger," Goren said. "Someone put her body in Vega's house. W-we need to get Vega to tell us what he did with the body."

They thanked Rogers for the information and then made their way back up to the eleventh floor.

Eames sighed and tensed at the sight of Harris in the captain's office, while Goren sat down at his desk. He glanced up at her when she didn't sit across from him.

The feeling of his eyes on her shook her out of her trance and then sat down at her desk. She didn't want Harris to try to pick up their conversation from the night before and it dawned on her that Goren never asked why she had decided to come to his apartment.

"We should probably head up to Rikers soon to talk to Vega…" Eames said as she fiddled with one of the files on her desk and watched the captain's office from the corner of her eye.

Goren nodded absently and fought back more questions and the urge to walk in the captain's office and give a firm right hook to Harris' chin.

"I know…we can probably go ahead…I think Ross will understand if we don't tell him before," Bobby said.

Eames nodded and was prepared to respond when she felt Harris approach her desk.

"Alex," Harris said as he hovered above her desk. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"We really don't have anything to talk about," Eames said rising from her desk. "Plus we have work to do."

"Look it'll only take a few minutes," Harris said.

"Well, we were on our way out," Eames said as she glanced at Goren, who took the hint and rose from his desk.

"If we're going to make it to Rikers by ten we should go," Goren said.

"Rikers?" Harris asked.

Goren nodded. "We're going to interview Vega again…"

"What? Why?" Harris asked.

"A-about the blood we found in his house," Goren said matter-of-factly.

"But we found Maggie," Harris said. "The blood should be kicked back to the local prescient."

"Captain sees it differently," Eames said. "We have to go."

"Well give me a minute…I'll come with you," Harris said.

"This isn't your case," Eames said and looked toward Goren. "Let's go."

Eames headed toward the elevators and after giving Harris one last look, Goren followed.


End file.
